Charlotte baseball falls in NCAA regional elimination game

The Charlotte 49ers had to be feeling pretty good after their first seven innings Sunday, and even into the eighth and ninth innings against Maryland, given where the batting order fell, and which pitchers remained available.

Instead, Maryland flipped the script on the 49ers in heartbreaking fashion, plating a run in the eighth to tie the game, and another in the ninth to walk off with a 2-1 win, sending the Terps into the Greenville Regional final at the NCAA baseball championships.

Justin Vought singled home Randy Bednar with the winning run on the first pitch of his at-bat in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and no outs. It was the fourth consecutive single for Maryland in the bottom of the final inning against Charlotte reliever Andrew Lindsey, who had most recently pitched Friday.

Bednar started the ninth with a sharp single to right. Maxwell Costes ripped a 1-2 offering from Lindsey to left, and Bednar motored to third, but inexplicably didn’t score when Bobby Zmarzlak hit a high infield chopper two pitches later. All runners were safe, though, setting the stage for Vought’s game-winning hit.

Charlotte was in good shape prior to the ninth inning. Knight homered for the 49ers on the first pitch he saw in the fourth inning off Maryland starter Ryan Ramsey. It was one of only three hits Ramsey allowed over eight innings.

Despite the hitting drought, though, Matt Brooks was dealing for the 49ers, as well. He allowed only four total hits in his own eight-inning outing. But, that fourth hit allowed ended up costing the 49ers the lead in the eighth. Tony Schreffler singled up the middle for the Terps, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and to third on a throwing error on what would have been a sacrifice bunt.

With no outs, Matthew Shaw grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but that allowed Schreffler to score from third to knot the score at 1-1, setting the dish for the ninth inning.

Charlotte threatened in its own right in the top half of the final frame. LuJames Groover III and Will Butcher opened with back-to-back singles, but Groover got greedy at second and was picked off on a throw down from the catcher. Parker Stinnett pinch ran for Butcher, and eventually stole second, but was stranded there as Jack Dragum lined out to the second baseman to end the threat.

The 49ers season is over after a 40-21 campaign. Maryland faced ECU for the regional title Sunday night.